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Hello all. My wife and I are considering a move to Huntington from Houston.
I've worked in the local chemical plants all my life, mostly in a shipping/receiving and supervisory capacity.
I've read that the industrial sector in the Huntington area has declined quite a bit in recent years. What are the best prospects for industrial/blue collar employment now in the area...if there are any at all?
I would check the trade journals and blog networks. With the dem's coming into power next fall..things may be stagnant or in the downsizing mode...
but your skill of expertise is shipping and receiving...
other companys exist that do that...and good are goods...
some will not suffer and will be looking for people...
I think your area is to broad to not find a job...
The wages in the chemical industry may not be the same as someone recieving goods in a hospital or mine supply company..
P.P.P.P. remember that old chestnut?
Huntington has seen a decline in the number of industrial jobs since the 60s and 70s(just as the rest of the US has) but they are still here and still a big part of the local economy. Metal Companies have a big presence here as does the railroad industry. There are also several local companies such as Champion Industries, Darco International and Imperial Bedding Company that may offer what you need. Several international companies also have a presence here such as Alcon, Allevard Springs and Sulzer. I will give you a link to the Huntington Area Development Council as they have a lot of information about industry in the area as well as some contact info. Since you have experience in shiping/receiving, not sure if this helps but Huntington is also the FedEx hub for all of WV. Ashland Oil is also just across the river in KY and may offer what you are looking for as well. They are also getting ready to build a new intermodal facility just outside of Huntington as well as enlarging all of the railroad tunnels in order to start hauling double stacked railroad cars through the area. This is expected to bring more industry as well as more warehouses for the area in the next few years. If you can't find exactly what you are looking for in Huntington, there are several other industries between Huntington and Charleston that may suit your needs. As I have stated before, I know a few people who live in Huntington and work near Charleston since it is less than a 45 minute drive, my dad was one of these. His job was transferred to Charleston but he liked the Huntington area too much to move. Here are the links and I hope this helps. Huntington is a wonderful area and I think you and your family will like it here. Let me know if you need info on any other aspect of the area.
Tim
I just left WV after living there all my life (I'm 28) and left Steel of WV after being there for 2 years. I have a 4 year degree and 8 years of part time work experience and 4 years of full time experience across a broad spectrum of work (mostly customer service jobs). I hope things work out that way for you. But Steel of WV won't be hiring for awhile. I was there 2 years and we must have had 5 or 6 layoffs in that time (it never got me). I heard from some guys I used to work with they may be laying off again. I would definately advise against working there (great pay, it's union but the union is a joke there). The chemical industry still seems to be thriving, but the entire job market in WV is dictated by Nepatism. It's really sad... I gave it so many tries and probably put in around 200 resumes in my 12 years of work experience and the best job I could find was doing manual labor at a Steel Mill (my degree is in information systems). People are friendly and it will always be home, but after getting turn down after turn down, I decided to move with my gf (who is also a WV native) and give it a whirl somewhere else. The inside joke I have with alot of people are the 4 biggest jobs in WV are (disability, welfare, telemarketing, and Taco Bell). Not to sound so negative, but good luck.
That does sound pretty negative. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.
Here in Houston, nepotism has always been a big part of employment in the chemical industry as well. But the climate is changing drastically. Mainly because of all the baby boomer retirements that are just beginning to happen. That is opening up a lot of jobs and causing a lot of local refineries to start hiring. I read a statistic in our industry newsletter that stated over the next 12 years, 40% of the work force will be retiring. That's amazing to me. But it makes a lot of sense, mainly because the refineries here did a lot of hiring back in the 70's. Those jobs were plentiful then. Now all those guys are retiring and new people are needed.
And here's the other difference. In the 70's, the plan was to hire kids straight out of high school and keep them until they retired. Now, they are more willing to hire people with experience, and pay them accordingly. A trend that most other industries have been practicing for many years.
Great to hear that you are coming for a visit. The best places to stay to get a feel for Huntington are either the Pullman Plaza Hotel or the Holiday Inn, both on 3rd Avenue. Here are some areas that you definately should visit. Downtown/Pullman Square: some little local places to visit are The Peanut Shoppe(has been there since the 1920s), the Old Village Roaster(even if you don't like coffee their Chai Tea is great), Le Cook Store(a local home/kitchen store with lots of good stuff) and The Downtown Depot (carries WV handmade crafts) Downtown also has various other clothing stores, a nice book store and Love Hardware is a neat old hardware store in business since the early 1900s. In terms of food, Jim's Steak and Spaghetti House is a local tradition since the 1930s and has a neat atmosphere inside with pictures of all of the celebrities that have visited the restaurant. If you like seafood, Jewel City seafood is a seafood market/restaurant with some of the freshest food in town. I also suggest that you visit the campus of Marshall university just to get a feel for it. If you see the movie "We Are Marshall" before you come, it'll give you a little bit of the areas history and a good preview of the area as well. The Ritter Park area is one that you also need to visit to see the park and the wonderful homes that surround it. If you drive up to the Huntington Museum of Art, they currently have a nice exhibit of Blenko Glass (a local glass company) and several other nice exhibits. If you like classical music, the Huntington Symphony Orchestra is putting on a show that weekend in the Keith Albee Theater. If you get a chance to see the Keith on the inside, it is definately a must see.
Something else to keep in mind, in the middle of winter here the temps will be anywhere between the 20-50 degree range so bring clothing to fit that range. Also, things won't look as green as they do in the pictures since everything is dormant for the winter (just a prep because some people aren't used to that). Here are some links to the things listed above. Let me know if you need anything else and have a safe trip.
Tim
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